1. Field
The present invention relates to a camera with a display panel for converting a subject image into digital data and recording the data into a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a camera such as a digital video camera, which converts an image of a subject into digital data and records it into a recording medium, an LCD panel unit having a built-in liquid crystal display panel sometimes may be used to monitor the subject image. Usually, the LCD panel unit is swingably attached to a camera body by a hinge. The panel unit is opened when the subject is shot. It is closed when shooting is not required.
Some cameras of this type may be provided with a microphone portion for recording a sound and a speaker portion for reproducing the recorded sound. In general, a speaker portion is attached to a camera body, as described in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2000-152048. In a portable terminal described in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2004-7553, moreover, a speaker portion and a microphone portion are located on an LCD panel unit and a terminal body, respectively.
If the speaker portion is located on the camera body, in each of the digital video cameras having the swingable LCD panel unit described above, the speaker portion and an image display screen of the liquid crystal display panel are not flush with each other. Therefore, a sound is always emitted in a fixed direction from a speaker without regard to the orientation of the panel unit.
On the other hand, a sound circuit is inevitably divided in two in the camera of which the camera body and the LCD panel unit are provided with the speaker portion and the microphone portion, respectively, or the microphone portion and the speaker portion, respectively. More specifically, a part of the sound circuit is located in the camera body, while the remaining part is housed in the LCD panel unit. Thus, the sound circuit must be partially situated in the camera body that is severely restricted in space.